Dies for forming ball retainers



HAW-@733 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 New I13 H3923.

J. DLESK was FOR FORMING BALL RETAINERS Filed March 4, 1922 New, 113W23.

J. DLESIK DIES FOR FORMING BALL RETAINERS Filed March 4, 1922 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fatented Nov. 13, 123.

Y een ric JOHN .DLESK, 0F BERWYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 1'0 U. E. BALLBEARING: MANUFACTUR- me COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

DIES FOR FORMING BALL RETAINERS.

Application filed march 4, 1922. eerie]. No; 541,142.

Toallwlwmz't mayconcema Be it known that 1, JOHN Dnnsn, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Berwyn, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dies for FormingBall Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dies for forming ball retainers and the like,and particularly those which are used in thrust bearings.

The invention is fully described in the following specification andshown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a blank before being acted upon by the die forming thisinvention, Fig. 2 is a partial elevation of the same after it has beenacted upon by the dies, Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of theretainer shown m Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 ofFi 2, Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section throug the die blocks, Fig. 6 isa side elevation o the same,

and Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged end views of the lower and upper dieelements, respectively.

The embodiment illustrated consists of upper and lower die blocks 10 and11, respectively, which are secured in any suitable manner in a press,not shown.

The upper die block has a series of die elements 12 secured therein inany suitable manner, as by means of screws 13, and so arranged as tocorrespond to one of the holes 14 in the retainer blank 15, which isshown in Fig. 2. Each die element 12 has two prongs 12, the outersurface of which is substantially cylindrical and cut throughlongitudinally with slots, the edges of which radiate from the center ofthe cylinder and are substantially 90 apart.

Similarly formed die elements 16 are secured in the lower die block 11,and have prongs 16 The die elements 12 are preferably placed so that theprongs alteruately face toward the center of the die and at right anglesto it, and the die elements 16 are each arranged at right angles to thedie elements 12, so that the prongs l2 pass down through the slots 16between the prongs 16. The ends of the prongs are made semispherical, sothat as they pass through the blank, which is placed with a hole 14between each of the opposing pairs of die elements, the lips 15 whichare turned up and the lips 15" which are turned down will have agenerally spherical form as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

A pressure plate 17 is carried by the upper die block 10 and has aseries of openings 18, through which the die elements 12 pass. Ashoulder 19 is formed thereon, which is guided in the counter-bore 20. Apin 21 is secured to the shoulder 19 and passes axially through the uper die block 10. A spring 22 tends to orce the pres sure plate 17 downand it is normally retained in the position shown by means of the pin23, which strikes the upper end of the die block 10.

An ejector pin 24 is preferably placed between each of the die elements12 and is slidably guided in alined openings in the die block 10 and thepressure plate 17. Each pin is acted, upon by a spring 25 in a hole 26,the upper end of which is closed by means of a plug 27.

Similar ejector pins 28 are placed in the lower die block 11 and theseare pressed upwardly by means of springs 29.

The method of operation of this device is as follows: The die blocks arenormally held separated in the machine in the position shown in Fig. 5.The blank 15, shown in Fig. 1, is placed upon the upper ends of theprongs 16 of the lower die element, the holes 1 1 falling over theseelements. The upper die block 10 is then forced down upon the blank andthe prongs 12 forced a predetermined distance into the rongs 16* of thelower die elements, t ereby forming the ball retainer as shown in Fig.2. Upon raising the die block 10, the prongs are withdrawn from the ballretainer and the ejector pins 24 and 28 force the retainer off anyprongs that have a tendency to stick. The purpose of the pressure plate17 is to hold the blank 15 flat and prevent it from buckling during thetime the dies are bein forced together. While I have shown an describedcertain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it iscapable of man modifications. Change, therefore, in t e construction andarrangement may be made without departing from the. spirit and scope ofthe invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is myintention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly aspossible in view of the prior mm art.

new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A die for forming hall retainers comprising opposing blocks, eachcarryinga. die element, each of said elements having, a. plurality ofprongs, said prongs being spaced a distance equal to the width of theopposing prongs, each prong forming a segment of a circle, so that assaid elements approach each other, the prongs oi one element telescopeupon the prongs of the other.

2. A die for forming hall retainers comprising opposing blocks, eachcarrying a plurality of die elements, each of said ele- What l claim asments having two opposed prongs, each prong forming substantiallyone-fourth of a circle. so that as said elements approach each other,the prongs of one element telescope upon the prongs of the other.

3. A die lor forming hall retainers comprising opposing blocks, eachcarrying, a plurality of die elements, each of said elements having twoopposed prongs termihatingin spherical points, each prong 'l'orniingsubstantially one-fourth of a circle, so that as said elements approacheach other, the prongs of one element telescope upon the prongs of theother.

JOHN DLESK.

